RALEIGH — Crews will
begin repairing the Bonner Bridge, which carries N.C. 12 over Oregon Inlet and
connects Hatteras Island to the mainland, on Tuesday, Sept. 25. The work will
help fortify the bridge against the sand erosion that commonly occurs in the
inlet just south of the navigation channel.

As part of the project, certified divers will place sand bags and
wire baskets filled with rocks on the inlet floor. They will span the width of
the bridge beneath its support system. The baskets and sand bags will help
prevent the current from washing away the sand around the base of the bridge.

The project also includes installing a supplemental concrete
support structure just above the water line on one section of the bridge where
scour regularly occurs. This addition will help strengthen and protect the
bridge from the eroding sand.

Crews will do this work from several large barges. The barges will
not block the navigational channel; however, their anchors will be deployed in
the water. The N.C. Department of
Transportation advises mariners to be aware of the anchor lines, which will
be marked in accordance with U.S. Coast Guard guidelines, and avoid the areas
where the barges are stationed to ensure safety.

Temporary periodic lane closures on the bridge will be required to
allow crews to deliver their materials to the barges. When the closures are in
place, signs, flaggers and/or portable traffic signals will guide motorists
through the area.

NCDOT awarded the
contract for the $1.8 million project to American Bridge Company Inc. of
Coraopolis, Pa. Final completion is scheduled for no later than Dec. 1.

For real-time
travel information on N.C. 12 at any time, call 511, visit www.ncdot.gov/travel
or follow NCDOT on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ncdot_nc12.
Another option is NCDOT Mobile, a phone-friendly version of the NCDOT website.
To access it, type “m.ncdot.gov” into the browser of your smartphone and
bookmark it for future reference. NCDOT Mobile is compatible with the iPhone,
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